Red-Light Camera Lawsuit Expands in New Jersey

Lawyer plans to sue every New Jersey municipality that had its red-light camera permits revoked by the state.

In New Jersey, class-action litigation against red-light cameras grew to include six more cities and towns, reported Philly.com. Lawyer Joseph A. Osefchen filed lawsuits in Glassboro, Monroe Township, Newark, Edison, Stratford and Woodbridge over the past two weeks, contending that motorists were issued tickets illegally because the cameras were not properly inspected or made to meet state regulations.

Osefchen filed his first lawsuit in Cherry Hill last month, and the litigation has attracted increased interest from citizens since then. "I've probably heard from more than a hundred motorists since then," Osefchen said to Philly.com. "Nineteen municipalities had their red-light camera permits revoked [by the state], and I plan to sue every one of them."

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Last month, the state’s Transportation Department suspended the issuance of tickets by 63 of the 85 red-light cameras in New Jersey, citing problems with signal timing camera inspections.

Much of the controversy has to do with the length of time that yellow lights are displayed, which sometimes falls seconds short of state traffic regulations, according to one lawsuit. The cameras have collected millions of dollars in ticket revenue since the pilot program was launched in 2009, but conflict between local and state regulations, plus the added stress of litigation, could lead to the program’s termination in many cities and towns.